B2 Literary Excerpts: Identifying Modal Clauses — Modal Clauses — Proposizioni Modali (B2)

Modal Clauses — Proposizioni Modali·B2 Literary Excerpts: Identifying Modal Clauses

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Rule reminder

In literary analysis, identifying modal clauses requires recognizing: (1) 'come se' + congiuntivo (appearance vs reality); (2) gerunds that answer 'HOW?' rather than 'WHY?' or 'WHEN?'; (3) 'senza che' + congiuntivo (absence of accompanying circumstance); (4) 'in modo che/da' constructions (manner or intended result). Literary authors use these to create character depth, narrative atmosphere, and stylistic elegance.

B2 Literary Excerpts: Identifying Modal Clauses1 / 10

Excerpt: «Camminava per le strade della città come se cercasse qualcosa che sapeva di non poter trovare.» (Calvino-style) — The 'come se' clause here: